VANCOUVER'S SAFE-INJECTION SITE WINS COURT BATTLE TO STAY OPEN

Vancouver's safe-injection site will remain open for the time being,
after the B.C. Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed an appeal from the
federal government.

The federal government is now expected to take its fight to the
Supreme Court of Canada.

Insite is a scientific research project that provides supervised and
sanitary conditions for the use of intravenous drugs. It was approved
under the former federal Liberal government, and opened in September
2003 as a three-year experiment.

The goal of Insite was to limit the harm caused by sharing needles,
which leads to the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C, and reduce the
number of overdose deaths.

It was allowed to operate originally under a temporary exemption to
federal drug control laws. When the temporary exemption was due to
expire, Insite went to the B.C. Supreme Court and won a permanent exemption.

The federal Conservative government appealed that decision. The
federal government has said it believes the site's $3-million
operating budget could be better spent on drug treatment.

Grace Pastine, litigation director of the B.C. Civil Liberties
Association, said the facility allows drug addicts access to the
health care that they desperately need.

"It's been shown to be a great success," she said.